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Tag Archives: Ai Weiwei Quotes

In honor of Ai Weiwei’s current show at the Gardiner Museum (which I have yet to see), here are a few of his best quotes. He’ll be at the Gardiner until June 9, 2019.

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Above: An Ai Weiwei sculpture as seen at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche

“If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for?”

“An artwork unable to make people feel uncomfortable or to feel different is not one worth creating. This is the difference between the artist and the fool.”

“When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That’s dangerous for human development.”

“I call on people to be ‘obsessed citizens,’ forever questioning and asking for accountability. That’s the only chance we have today of a healthy and happy life.”

“To the media, I have become a symbolic figure, critical of China. According to the government, I am a dangerous threat.”

“A nation that has no music and no fairytales is a tragedy.”

“People are always wondering if I am an artist or political activist or politician. Maybe I’ll just clearly tell you: Whatever I do is not art. Let’s say it is just objects or materials, movies or writing, but not art, OK?”

“My work has always been political, because the choice of being an artist is political in China.”

“Why are you so concerned about society?’ That is always the question. And my answer is simple: ‘Because you are an artist, you have to associate yourself with freedom of expression.”